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Sam Ash Family Timeline

The Sam Ash family of companies have an amazing heritage. We've been there through all of the significant changes in the music industry - helping to pioneer many ourselves! Take a trip down memory lane and see how the music industry and Sam Ash grew up together. And while we've been around longer than anyone else, our philosophy remains today the same as it was when our founder, Sam, opened the doors of our very first store... provide all our customers the selection, service and respect they deserve.

Pre-1920's

1990’s

Hempstead store moved to Carle Place, NY; offices and warehouse open in Hicksville, NY

Open store in Cherry Hill, NJ; Sam Ash Music Institute is founded in New York City

Open store in New Haven, Connecticut

Open stores in Miami and Margate, Florida, and King of Prussia, PA

Stores open in Lyndhurst (Cleveland) and Columbus, OH; Music to the Max is acquired in Westminster, California, officially making Sam Ash bi-coastal

Late 19th/Early 20th century

Rose Dinin, who would later become Sam’s wife, is born in Russia on August 25, 1903

Both families arrive in New York in 1907

1920’s

Sam and Rose marry and buy their first music store in Brooklyn, NY, using money collected after pawning Rose’s wedding ring. The store’s most popular inventory are banjos and mandolins.

Jerry Ash, our current Chairman, is born

Paul Ash, our current company President, is born

Electric microphones are used in studio recording for the first time

1930’s

Big band and jazz music flourishes; Sam Ash Music acquiesces by putting banjos and mandolins aside to make room for expansive inventory of brass and woodwind instruments, as well as sheet music delivery

Les Paul creates and tests out some guitar prototypes amplified with microphones

1940’s

Brooklyn store moves to 242 Utica Ave, Brooklyn

Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Bing Crosby are among the most prominent artists topping the billboard charts

Leo Fender invents the first successful solid-body electric guitar

1950’s

Sam passes away in 1956

John Lennon meets Paul McCartney for the first time

Sam Ash Music responds to the wildly spreading phenomena of rock ‘n’ roll by building up a stock of electric guitars, basses and drum sets

1960’s

Stores open in Hempstead, Huntington, and White Plains, New York

The cassette tape is invented

Popularity of folk music and singer/songwriters bring on a demand for acoustic guitars

1970’s

Sam Ash opens its first Manhattan store

Sam’s grandsons Richard and Sammy officially join the company

Open store in Paramus, NJ

Sam Ash Music has a direct hand in the marketing of the boom cymbal stand right after its invention

The debut of the Mini Moog leads to a rising demand for synthesizers and other electronic instruments

Sony introduces the Walkman

1980’s

The compact disc is invented

Sam’s grandson David officially joins the company

Inception of school instrument rental department

Open store in Edison, NJ

1990’s

Hempstead store moved to Carle Place, NY; offices and warehouse open in Hicksville, NY

Open store in Cherry Hill, NJ; Sam Ash Music Institute is founded in New York City

Open store in New Haven, Connecticut

Open stores in Miami and Margate, Florida, and King of Prussia, PA

Stores open in Lyndhurst (Cleveland) and Columbus, OH; Music to the Max is acquired in Westminster, California, officially making Sam Ash bi-coastal